The Prevention of Musculoskeletal Complaints in Instrumental Musicians: A Systematic Review

This systematic review synthesizes the evidence of various interventions aiming to prevent muscu¬loskeletal complaints in professional musicians.

This study comprises a systematic review according to PRISMA guidelines. A database search was performed in Cochrane, Embase, and PubMed on 13 September 2022 without time and language restrictions. The search consisted of the following groups of keywords: preventive measures AND musculoskeletal AND musicians. Risk of bias was assessed with the PEDro and MINORs criteria. Two reviewers independently selected and assessed the quality of the studies.

A total of 1,831 articles were screened and 20 articles were included in this review. There is a wide range of interventions aiming to reduce musculoskeletal complaints in musicians. Among the studied programs were interventions focused on strength, cardiovascular and general fitness, flexibility as well as educational interventions and combinations of these. On average, scientific quality was good, moderate, and low for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), comparative studies, and non-comparative studies, respectively. A significant beneficial effect of the evaluated intervention on either playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMD) frequency or severity or (playing-related) pain frequency and intensity was reported in at least 12 of the 20 studies. In particular, interventions with a strength training program reported a beneficial effect on PRMD frequency and severity as well as pain intensity and interference on the short-term.

This systematic review highlights the heterogeneity in interventions aiming to prevent musculoskeletal complaints in musicians. Strength training might have a positive short-term effect on reducing musculoskeletal complaints. There is a need for further research to improve the quality of evidence as well as long-term outcomes of injury prevention programs.